As you can see, it’s all quiet on the western front. I am progressing along on my memorial video for Mr. Kelly. It’s going to be about 15 minutes long. I still have to mix the audio and do a voice-over for it, but it’s getting very close to competition. It will be out late September, early October most likely.

I’m sorry for the lack of updates. I just have priorities getting in the way, and to be honest this whole project with my cat has been emotionally overwhelming at times. Slow steps. I have picked up guitar, too, and that has proven to be a fun challenge.

I do have something new today, though. Metroid Other M saw release at the end of the month, and I received my copy in the mail less than 24hrs ago. It came with a special Art Folio package that I have taken the liberty of reviewing in very high quality! You can check it out right here:

I’m going to be doing some house keeping around the site. Thinking about regrouping some things, I’m not sure. Definitely interested in Discography updates. New stuff on the way.

-DZ

Hello, everyone.

As some of you already know, late last month I had to put my cat that I’ve had for 19 years to sleep. Since then I haven’t done any work on anything related to the site, for obvious reasons. June and July have been some of the most mentally challenging months of my life. I’m undergoing some harsh changes that I struggle in dealing with every day. He was my angel. I spent all of July gathering old photos and archiving old VHS transfers. I’m not sure when the video project will be finished, but hopefully sometime in August. I’m going to give Mr. Kelly the tribute he deserves. <3

I’ve been trying to turn all this negative energy into something positive. I have learned a lot about guitar this past month. Still in the early stages of playing, but the tips of my fingers are being callused, and I’m strengthening my left hand. I can see this being a fun, expressive hobby in my life. If I ever get good enough to where I’m confident in actually releasing any sort of material, my very first release will be in Mr. Kelly’s memory. It’s important to endure life’s sorrow and joy equally. There’s a lot of death going on in my family right now, and from my past experiences with losing loved ones, death ironically breathes in new life. It creates an awareness of what is important.

I’ve been visiting the Independent Cat Society lately. They are a wonderful group of volunteers who care for abandoned cats. They do whatever they can to ensure they wind up in loving homes. We are adopting a 1-2 cats in August from them to join the newest member of my family:

This is Mrs. Kelly. She is a white Persian kitten, born on June 1st. We got her from a shady breeder, not the ICS, but only because we wanted to get a Persian in memory of Mr. Kelly. She is the cutest little cat you could imagine. One minute she’s running around, biting your hand and jumping up a cat post, the next she’s out like a light. Whenever I get my image gallery up and running, expect to see more of all my cats.

In closing, I know this site doesn’t do heavy traffic, but I just want to thank anyone who has visited or enjoyed my work here on Living Vicariously. Things will hopefully be back up to speed soon. My personal life just went in shambles lately, and I’m completely lost in regards to just about everything. I enjoy doing the reviews of things and making original videos, so that will continue in the near future.

-Delta Zero

I have had a black Persian cat named Mr. Kelly since I was four-years-old. For nearly 20 years, he’s been my buddy. Over the past few years he’s suffered some illnesses, and up until this year things were up and down, but overall not too bad given his old age. As 2010 rolled on, he began to take a turn for the worse. And right now, it’s painful to admit, but things have become extremely grim. We have no choice but to put Mr. Kelly to sleep. I am doing this update on the fly because in only 4 hours, he will be relieved of his life.

I love him dearly. I love him more than I could possibly put into words. I have been blessed with having such a strong, lifelong bond with my little boy. Knowing that his last moments on Earth are ticking away saddens me greatly. He can hardly walk, so putting off the evitable simply didn’t make a whole lot of sense. I have always wondered what this moment would be like. Would I find him one day? Or would we have to put him down?  Now I know my answer.

Whenever life tore me down, I could always count on him to brighten my day up. Whenever I went on vacation, I’d miss him, and couldn’t wait to get home to see his face light up, and to have him chase me around the house in pure excitement. He didn’t do that earlier this month, after I got back from Vegas. It put me in a bit of a depression. And on top of problems I’ve been facing in my personal life, things have just gotten…to put it bluntly, bad. I’m still not sure what I will do.

I am hours away from experiencing the worst moment of my life. This is a very personal issue, but I think this is something that needs to be out in the open. Love your pets. Love them as much as you can. Whenever they annoy you or bother you, remember they aren’t here for very long. I would give the world to extend his life; to have him here for one more Christmas. There is nothing in this world that would ever replicate the kind of love I have for him. He is like my child. I have taken care of him my entire life. Everyone who knows me personally knows Mr. Kelly.

I will be working on a tribute for him. I’ll post it on the site whenever I can bring myself to dig up old footage of he and I. This is all very hard to deal with. I can’t go for more than 5 minutes without crying. Cherish your loved ones, your pets, your irreplaceables. We are not forever, and they last even less.

I will love and remember you until the day I die. Should I make it into old age, there will always be a spot on my mantle for your photograph.

Goodbye, Mr. Kelly.

Since 1995,  the Electronic Entertainment Expo has been the Mecca for computer and video game enthusiasts. Home to countless big moments, unforgettable reveals and the unveiling of gaming’s next big innovations, E3 offers a direct window into the future on interactive entertainment.

E3 is held every year in San Fransisco, CA.  It’s closed off to the general public, so only those in the industry and journalists are allowed to attend. E3 is the premiere North American gaming event for showcasing all the brand new games and consoles that will define the future of video games. The very first E3 was held in 1995, focusing on Sony’s new PlayStation system, and debuting Nintendo’s Virtual Boy…experiment. Ten years ago at E3 2000, we got our first look at Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, a game that set the standard for video game trailer presentation.  The following year saw the debut of the Xbox and Gamecube. And now, here we are in 2010.

Press conferences are held across several days. The big 3 at the moment are Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, while other 3rd party developers also hold conferences showing off their latest games.  A one-man operation like Living Vicariously can’t cover all the games featured at this show, so please excuse the bulletpoint style this feature will be under. Without further adieu, here are some of the highlights of E3 2010. While many of the following screenshots are exclusive to this website, no ownership is implied, and all footage/images are property of their respective owners. You know the drill.

• Microsoft showed Call of Duty: Black Ops to get things going.  All expansion packs and map DLC will be exclusive to Xbox for the next two years. Incredible attention to details in the snowy environment. Emphasis on teamwork.

• Hideo Kojima presented Metal Gear Solid: Rising. It’s multiplatform and stars the cyborg version of Raiden. The emphasis has completely changed from the traditional Metal Gear style. This game is all about using your sword to cut everything in sight. Bodies and surroundings are cut to shreds. No release date. TRAILER

• Gears of War 3 co-op mode revealed.

• Fable 3 is coming out 10/26. It follows the path of becoming a king.

• Halo: Reach has vehicular space combat. TRAILER

• Microsoft’s motion controllerless Kinect, formally known as Natal, is shown. Voice recognition, virtual touching, video scrolling. Zune integration. Video chat is demonstrated (hilariously forced acting) – works with Windows Live Messenger and Xbox Live.  Streamable media both users can see. Camera follows user movement.  DEMONSTRATION

• ESPN Kinect – live sporting events, streamed in HD. Available at no additional cost for Xbox Live Gold members.

• Kinect’s launch titles are shown. First up is Kinectimals. A young girl demonstrates this HD next-gen giga pet. Virtually pet and care for a tiger and many other animals.

• Other Kinect launch titles showcase Wii Sports-like games. Arcade racer called Joy Ride uses an invisible steering wheel. Star Wars Kinect puts the lightsaber in your hands.

• New Forza racing game with Kinect support. Users can walk around and kneel down to inspect the car. Camera tracks all movement.

• New slimmer Xbox redesign unveiled. It was presented under the shell of the standard Xbox to demonstrate the size difference. Built-in Wi-Fi, 250GB harddrive. Presently shipping to retailers at the $299 price point. Everyone in attendance received a free Xbox Slim!

Personal thoughts:

The main focus of this conference was on Kinect. They actually did a special event prior to this conference, with Circus du Soleil. It was very artsy without really getting too deep into the hardware or software. Kinect, formally known as Natal,  does boast some impressive features. It comes out on November 4th, with a leaked pricepoint (thanks to Gamestop and Walmart) of $150. Kinect will also be packed with the Elite Xbox for $400 and the Arcade Xbox for $300.

My thoughts? That’s…a lot of money. I actually do not own an Xbox of any sort. If I were to get one, it would probably be with this Kinect technology,  but I’m not sold on it yet. Holding a virtual steering wheel made of thin air seems like it would get tiring after awhile. The Star Wars game looks like fun. One game franchise that has HUGE potential would be boxing, or more specifically a proper Rocky title.

For sports fans, the ESPN thing is an extremely nice bonus for Xbox Live. The demo shown had the guy rewinding clips with his hands and shouting “pause” to freeze the frame. The technology is definitely the future. But as far as it goes for games? We’ll have to see. The video chat being compatible with both the 360 and Windows Live is awesome. We’re really living in the future now, huh?

Metal Gear Solid: Rising raised my eyebrows. It looks like crazy fun, but it seems to betray what Metal Gear Solid is all about. An action game with really intense violence (cutting people’s limbs off) is not really the Metal Gear I know and love. In the interest of not being a xenophobe, I’m remaining cautiously optimistic about this title.

• Nintendo opens the show by debuting the new Zelda game, Skyward Sword. Artistically, it’s much more vivid than Twlight Princess, and seems inspired by earlier concept art used for Zelda games such as Ocarina of Time. The game is demoed by legendary game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto. It is the first from-the-ground-up Zelda game for Wii. Using the bow, swinging a sword, and deflecting with a shield are all done using motion controls aided by Wii Motion+. A new bowling ball bomb was shown that can arc with an underhanded twist. During this demo, the wireless controllers were experiencing a lot of interference.  Reports from the show floor confirm the game controls just fine. 2011 release date. TRAILER

• New Mario sports title was shown. Instead of just one sport, it features several such as basketball, hockey and volleyball, among others. 2011.

• Nintendo of America president Reggie, quickly discussed Wii’s bridge titles that appeal to both traditional gamers and the casual/non-gaming audience (Mario Kart, NSMB, Wii Sports). Wii Party, a Mario Party replacement using Miis, was dated for 2010. Just Dance 2 trailer shown.

• Metroid: Other M is dated for August 31st. Brand new trailer focuses entirely on the gameplay. Intense Metroid-esque music plays throughout. Samus is seen transitioning between the traditional 2D view to over-the-shoulder to FPS. Graphically impressive special effects and art direction. TRAILER

• Golden Sun Dark Dawn DS trailer shown. Coming out this holday season. TRAILER

• Goldeneye 007 remake (from the 64) announced exclusively for the Nintendo Wii. Features split-screen local as well as online multiplayer. Returning villians such as Oddjob and Jaws. Familiar games modes such as Golden Gun return. Motion controls OR a classic controller option (which has to be essential for local splitscreen). Released this year, in November. TRAILER

• Epic Mickey is demoed on stage. Game uses a unique paint thinner concept that allows users to erase elements of the game environment. Lots of 3D platforming as well as a side-scrolling 2D part done in black & white like the old Disney cartoons. Focus on Disney’s forgotten history.

• In a complete surprise announcement, Reggie introduced the first Kirby console game in a number of years. The game’s title is Kirby’s Epic Yarn. It completely revamps the visual style of Kirby, replacing the familiar cutesy scenery with a world of yarn and fabric. Kirby can manipulate the world around him by tugging at strings of yarn and revealing new areas hidden behind fabric walls. Fall 2010 release. TRAILER

• Donkey Kong Country: Returns trailer was debuted! This brand new DKC game is done as a side-scroller just as the classics were on the SNES. Huge ovation from the E3 audience. The game features simultaneous co-op for the first time in the series. Set to be released this holiday season. TRAILER

• The 3DS was officially revealed.  The device looks similar to the DSi, with several changes.  The top screen is in widescreen format and measures in at 3.53 inches. The bottom screen has a 4:3 aspect ratio, is touch sensitive, and measures in at 3.02 inches. The device also has a joystick in addition to the standard d-pad. The 3DS has a motion sensor as well as a gyroscope built-in.  It features backwards compatibility with the Nintendo DS as well as an additional SD card slot. Two cameras are on the outside of the 3DS for taking 3D pictures, and one camera is located inside towards the player.

• The 3DS has an upgraded Wi-Fi infrastructure. Communication between players can occur in-game as well as when the device is in sleep mode. New game maps and other downloads can be automatically received at no additional charge. Nintendo are also working with several big motion picture companies to bring 3D movies to the 3DS!

• Several games were announced to be in development. The only trailer played on stage was of a surprise rebirth of the Kid Icarus franchise. Graphical capabilities look to be around PlayStation 2 caliber, putting it a notch above PSP but below the Wii. Games in the works include a re-texturized Star Fox 64 & Ocarina of Time, Saints Row, EA Sports franchises, a brand new Resident Evil game, a new 3D version of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Mario Kart.

• The 3DS can’t be shown with standard film, so the only people who could experience the 3D-ness of it were those in attendance. Show floor reports are overwhelmingly positive but note that it’s easy to lose the effect. A slider exists on the side of the 3DS that can turn the effect on, partially on, and off. A comedic video demonstrated what 3D would be like, exaggerated, on the 3DS. Reggie gets burned to death by Bowser. TRAILER

• The show closed with hundreds of 3DS units tethered to girls (?) as living breathing kiosks. There was NO release date or pricepoint given. Expected to hit retail by March 2011 at latest, but could very well wind up in stores this holiday.

Personal Thoughts:

Woooooow! Nintendo delivered one of the best press conferences in E3 history. They were focused and spent as little time as possible on stupid antics and pretend flutes. Notably missing was Cammie Dunaway, the “every-woman soccer mom” Nintendo pushed to market the Wii to the expanded audience. Nintendo brought the goods this year.

First up, I need to mention Donkey Kong Country Returns. This is a game seasoned video game fans have be begging for for eons. DK has taken a backseat over the years. Donkey Konga and Jungle Beat brought back the big lug’s relevance, but only so much. Seeing a proper DKC game again is just surreal. I hold the first two games very close to my heart, as the art direction and especially the melancholy music is incredible. David Wise did a tremendous job on the soundtrack.  This would be the first DKC developed by Retro Studios instead of Rare. I hope they do the series justice. It’s good to see DK as a playable character again, and the 2-player co-op is a nice upgrade from the SNES games. Fingers crossed!

The new Metroid trailer has me salivating.  I haven’t been interested in Metroid since the Gameboy Advance games. This one takes elements of the Prime games and mixes them in with elements of the classics.  There’s a higher focus on Samus as a character, too.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn! Awful title, but I fell in instant love with it. You can just look at the game being demoed and know it’s going to be fun and unique. I’m so glad games like this still have an audience. THIS is how you push a franchise forward.

No Pikmin 3? It’s been confirmed for developmenet at the past two shows. Maybe they’re holding off on it some more since they more or less blew their load as it was. Pikmin would work well on the 3DS…hmmm.

Speaking of the 3DS, it’s intriguing. I’ve had my DS since it came out in 2004; never upgraded. That’s one thing I’ve learned about Nintendo handhelds – they’re gonna rehash them over and over again until the next model. Either get one out of the gate and deal with the early adapter features or wait until down the road when they do another iteration. This thing looks loaded, though. It has all the DSi features but with much more. The graphics, based on screens and footage I’ve seen, aren’t quite up to Wii like most folks were hoping. The Wii is often compared to souped up original Xbox in terms of graphical prowess. The 3Ds seems closer to PS2, but that might be jumping the gun on what this thing can do. The 3D effect is said to be stunning. Developers are raving about it. The game line-up is extremely promising. Hopefully Friend Codes are a thing of the past. The online is already way better than the DS just based on what little we were told. The joystick making its first Nintendo handheld appearance is good to see, as is the widescreen top screen.  I can’t wait!

Good show, Nintendo.

• 
• 3D is heavily emphasized for this conference. Sony announced that several already released games will receive downloadable 3D updates.

• Killzone 3 is announced as a title with 3D support as well as being PlayStation Move (Sony’s new motion controller) ready. Comes out February 2011.

• A game called Tumble is PlayStation’s answer to Wii’s Boom Blox. 3D + Move will create an immersive experience like no other. However, it should be noted they are not exclusive to one another. Many future games will offer Move as an option, and some are using Move exclusively. MOVE TRAILER

• Sorcery is demonstrated live on-stage.  It takes advantage of PlayStation Move’s wand to cast spells. The player is shown creating fire, selecting a whirlwind spell, and thrusting the Move wand forward, thus, creating a fire storm. The Move wand has a ball on top that can change color. This was demonstrated by simulating drinking a green potion in the game.

• Tiger Woods 2011 is shown taking advantage of the precision of Move. The demonstrator hit the ball in the sand several times. Control is quite similar to what has been done using the Wii Motion+ technology introduced last year. Tiger 2011 will receive a download for Move support later this year.

• Heroes On the Move combines Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet & Clank into one title.  The game uses the Move technology.

• The PlayStation commercial guy, Kevin Butler, delivered a hilarious speech about gaming. He mentioned “staying up until 3AM to earn a trophy that isn’t real. But is.” and took a shot at Wii by saying , “we can all box by using game characters that have important features…like arms. And necks.”

• Move comes out in NA on September 19th. The price for the wand is $50. The navigation controller (wireless nunchuk) is $30. This does not include the PlayStation Eye, necessary in capturing movement, which currently retails for $40. Various bundle sets will also be available.

• A stereotypical “hip” black kid named Marcus “reps” the PSP. Seems to be a new advertisement campaign. A new God of War PSP game called Ghost of Sparta is shown. It follows the origin of Kratos and comes out in the Fall. The 3rd Birthday, the long awaited sequel to PlayStation 1′s (yes, PS1) Parasite Eve 2, was confirmed for PSP. TRAILER

• PlayStation Home, PS3′s virtual Sims-like social community, has a replicated E3 booth full of video kiosks and exclusive in-game items.

• LittleBigPlanet 2 is demoed on stage. This time, the game has several options for creating games within the game. LBP2 is no longer limited to just being a platformer. Control schemes and viewpoints are customizable, and games ranging from real-time strategy, top down shooters,  racing, and several other genres are possible. A remake of the Atari 2600 classic “Boxing” is shown with the same overhead style. LBP2 will also have new internet-enabled features. Comes out in November of this year.

• PlayStation’s premium internet service is announced as PlayStation Plus. The present features of the PSN will remain, however, PlayStation Plus provides discounts in the store, preferred early demos & betas, free select PS1/PSN games, and access to special themes. $50 yearly. Content is owned for the duration of subscription.

• Medal of Honor trailer is shown. The game will come packed with a PS3 exclusive remaster of 2002′s Medal of Honor: Frontline. Comes out October 12th. TRAILER

• Dead Space 2 was introduced on stage. Lead character Issac appears to be suffering with dementia from the events in the original game. The game takes place in a large space station, unlike the original, which is primarily aboard a mining airship.  It’s set for release in January of 2011. The PS3 has an exclusive bonus offering of Dead Space: Extraction (with Move support), previously exclusive to Wii.  TRAILER

• Portal 2 was revealed to be in the works for PS3. Comes out in 2011. TRAILER

• Gran Turismo 5 was confirmed for November 2nd, with 3D support. A trailer shown displayed some of the most realistic graphics seen on PlayStation 3. TRAILER

• A surprise game closed the conference. It began with an introductory trailer of two men arguing over car combat games on PS1/2/3.  The sound of an ice cream truck and the flick of a cigar revealed an old classic PlayStation character – Sweettooth!  An ice cream truck with Sweettooth on-board then appeared on the E3  stage.  The game shows flying vehicles, a series first, and an in-car sniper to take down the choppers. Online mode will have 16 players at once, with local online splitscreen support!  The game showcases an extremely destructible environments. Set for release next year.

Personal Thoughts:

Sony’s showing dragged on a bit and proved to be an ad-fest, but we learned a lot about the future of the PS3. A huge focus was put on their new motion controller initiative. I have no idea how this will fare at retail next to Wii. I doubt most people have the PlayStation Eye. Then they need the remote. Then they need the nunchuk dealie for most “core” games. That’s a hefty price tag just to play some games. That’s not including the other focus of the show – 3D. 3D tvs are…not cheap, at the moment. Also considering that HDTVs are a fairly recent phenomenon yet to be fully adapted, 3D + Move will be a hard sell. It’s just not affordable. I think it’s fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but it’s simply too soon. Plus you have to play with glasses. There’s no doubt in my mind that Move will find some success. In-home 3D, however, simply won’t catch on with the vast majority. That’s my prediction. Maybe next console generation would’ve been a safer risk.

LBP2 looks promising! The first one got a bit dull as time went on but proved to be an excellent platform for people to create with. It was the start of something beautiful apparently, as LBP2 looks to build upon everything made great by the original.

Dead Space 2 gets me very excited. I named the first one as one of the best of this decade. Issac will be getting more personality in this installment, whether that’s good or bad remains to be seen. Dead Space: Extraction as a PS3-exclusive bonus is excellent! I have the Wii version already but if I decide to invest in Move, it’ll be a nice game to have for both consoles. Hope the isolationist feel and top-notch score return for this sequel.

I’ve yet to play Portal. Portal 2 has my eye.

PlayStation Plus….big thumbs down from me. Why? Well, for one the whole appeal of PS3′s online network is that it’s all free of charge. This Plus program just means that certain demos and other things we normally would’ve had for free might be held back for this subscription program. In other words, artificial value. Betas are normally closed and require something special, so that’s fine, and you’d have to pay for most premium avatars/themes otherwise. So there is some value here. Here’s my main “beef” with it:  you get select PS1/PSN games and DLC along with this subscription, but it’s tied down to the program. So, even though you would own (or rather be licensed) the game(s), they would be disabled if you should ever cancel PlayStation Plus.  I also hear there are limits for how much content you can have. Yeah, not interested. I would say that if you buy a lot of PSN games this might be a smart move, but you don’t get to pick which ones are given away as free. They do.

Twisted Metal was a huge surprise! I thought we were going to get it last year (since it was hinted at in the PSP port of Head-On on PlayStation 2), but we didn’t. And then we heard nothing, so I figured it was shelved. I am a HUGE fan of Twisted Metal 2. It’s still very fun to play to this very day; not a trait many games from the problematic early 3D-era can boast. The game looks like crazy fun! Online mode is going to be a blast, too. The “Nuke” mode is friggin’ ridiculous and too complicated/bizarre to explain in text, but it does seem to require strategy and teamwork. In other words, crossing your fingers that you’re not playing with bratty kids. The addition of flying vehicles will change things in one way or another. Some of the destroyed buildings are very….PS2-ish, so hopefully this is just a temporary issue. Besides, if it plays as good as some of the others in the series, we have a winner regardless. Looking forward to it!

There were also several other titles shown at E3 at other press conferences.  Here are some of them:

Silent Hill 8

Okamiden

Super Scribblenauts

Fallout: New Vegas

NBA Jam

Sonic 4

Space Invaders: Infinity Gene

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood

Infamous 2

Professor Layton and The Unwound Future

Notably absent from this press conference was Pikmin 3 and The Last Guardian. Pikmin 3 was reconfirmed for development on Wii.  The Last Guardian, the PS3 exclusive follow-up to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, was held back for a future press conference. Hmm. TGS, perhaps? Either way, E3 had its handful of major announcements. Sony and Microsoft are hopping aboard the waves of motion control in full force. The 3DS will offer unique game-enhancing technology and a slew of promising titles in the future. Not a bad time to be a video game fan!

]]> http://living-vicariously.net/?feed=rss2&p=1256 0 http://living-vicariously.net/?p=1240 http://living-vicariously.net/?p=1240#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:41:40 +0000 delta zero http://living-vicariously.net/?p=1240

(click to enlarge all images)

Character: William Regal
Brand: Mattel
Year: 2010
Series: Basic Series #4

Straight outta Blackpool, William Regal finally has a modern day representation in figure form.

The shaggy-haired Englishman changed his look around the time he won the 2008 King of the Ring. Here, he is sporting his all black tights, with fancy gold, elegant designs.

The headscan captures his trademark scowl, however, feels as if it lacks the fidelity in his features. The one-tone hair doesn’t help matters, but it’s alright. He also has his one hand taped up just like real life.

Mattel introduced a new torso shared by both William Regal and Matt Hardy, in Basic Series #4. It’s a modified version of the torso commonly seen on most regular-sized Mattel figures, as seen here with Chris Jericho.

He also has his tiny tattoos. They’re not colored in, but it’s still nice to see such attention to small details. Above is the rose tattoo with his wife’s name on top.

This tattoo is supposed to say “Made in England”. It just reads “England”. This isn’t a factory error.

Regal’s Blackpool shield tattoo. Also not colored in.

Here are two Jakks Pacific William Regals compared to the Mattel one. The Regal on the left is from Adrenaline Series #20. It has all of the tattoos the Mattel one has, but they’re also colored in and more legible. The main drawback to this figure, for it’s time period, is the the cut torso. It just…isn’t Regal. Later on they made the RA#26 Regal shown on the right. He’s wearing inaccurate attire, but the new torso they made for him is a much better fit. If there was a way to mix all the best features of the Jakks figures with the Mattel version, we’d have the perfect Master Regal.

As it stands this is a decent, but flawed, first effort on William Regal. The new torso is too lean but a better fit than the standard one. The gold vine designs are nice and shiny. We’re just lucky Mattel didn’t decide to make the women’s bathing suit look Regal had on-and-off in 2009, over this. That wouldn’t have been pretty. My take on this Regal? Hold out for the upcoming Elite one by the end of 2010.

Unessential.

(read up on the S3 rating method used on this site right here).

May is a good month. I celebrated my 23rd birthday earlier this month. Got some nice gifts and dined at this splendid Japanese place called Fuji. It’s my favorite “special occasion” place to eat. Every time I go, I always get the same thing: the Spicy Maki Combo.

Mmm.

Onto site matters. Earlier in the month I posted my review of the Porcupine Tree concert, at the Riviera. One of the best shows I’ve ever been to, period. Later this year they’re re-issuing the long awaited Recordings (b-side album), and later on in June the Anesthetize Blu-Ray is finally coming out after much delay. Good time to be a PT fan.

Also in May was Vicarious Views #3: Metal Gear Online. It was a hard one to review due to the unfavorable rating I gave it, despite really enjoying the game. When MGO is on, it’s on. When it’s off, it’s “throw down controller, shake head and quit” off. Rating an online game is very tough since it’s not just the content itself that attributes to the rating, it’s the demeanor of the people playing the game with you. Vicarious Views #4 will be coming out in June. Shouldn’t take too long to do that one. I can’t give a hint as to what #5 will be since I actually have no idea! I like to alternate between old and new games. #4 is a Super Nintendo game. #5…well, it’s either gonna be really old or really new I imagine.

The last update for May was a bit of a surprise. Super Mario Galaxy 2, the successor to the 2007 Wii classic, came out to much fanfare. It’s the first time since the original ’80s Nintendo that more than 1 main Mario game came out for the same platform…unless you count Yoshi’s Island or NSMB: Wii, but I don’t. Official launch parties were held at several locations in the US, and I was fortunate enough to live near one! It was a blast. Q101 Chicago being there and playing the game itself prior to midnight was a treat. Check it out under Features if you’re interested! I walked away with some limited edition memorabilia.

That’s about it for May. Well, sort of. There’s this thing I’m working on right now. I know I’ve been neglecting updating the other channels. That changes this June!

Yes! Work is well underway on this new 2-part adventure known as Vicarious Mission! Part 1 will be published early on in June, with Part 2 following soon after that. I’ve been waiting to do this FTV since it’s inception. From the Vault isn’t just rehashing of old material from the “show years” of Living Vicariously. It’s reimagining them. It’s remastering the audio/video, writing new dialog, recording new footage/lines, etc. All of this will be included in FTV: Vicarious Mission. We shot a ton of footage that day. Most of the usable stuff was already included in the original edition, but I have lots of “behind the scenes” footage and an awesome set of bloopers. And who knows, maybe over the Summer a proper sequel could happen? That ball is in the court of those interested in helping me. I’m open for it!

I’m leaving for Las Vegas on Sunday. I made a nice sum of cash when I was 21 and gambled for the first time. Then last year I lost everything but gained most of it back at the airport in a Wheel of Forture slot machine! Hope this is an alternating string of fortune. Otherwise, expect the June update to be full of colorful four-letter words.

Follow me on Twitter @livingvicarious to follow me in Las Vegas!  See you there.

-DZ

On May 22nd, 2010, a Super Mario Galaxy 2 launch party was held inside Best Buy, in Chicago. My friend and I arrived sometime in the afternoon, to make sure we got there somewhat early. Why, you ask? Well, in the invitation to this event, it listed that the first 500 attendees were to receive a SMG2 cinch bag. But it gets even better! The first 100 in line would get a limited run piece of framed artwork. A Best Buy in NYC had an identical giveaway program. To top it all off, we were able to play the game before the midnight launch!

Kevin Manno of Q101 Chicago was in attendance. He handled trivia questions and judged the costume contest (with fan input).; funny, charismatic guy. It was a really fun experience – totally worth the trip!

Here is a video I made of the evening:

Extended Thoughts:

This will probably be a bit of a “controversial” review, since I more or less bury the MGO user community. I do it out of love for the franchise, though. I usually play MGO for an hour a day, sometimes more, and have done so for the past 2 years. It’s a bit addicting once you’ve invested so much into it. I wish I could say that MGO is a great game that represents what Metal Gear Solid is all about, but I can’t. You’ll have one good game with people in one room, then the room will fill with “hardcore gamer elite pros” (15yo boys) and they stink the room up with cheap tactics and general trash talk. Not EVERY good player is like this mind you, I’m only stereotyping. It’s just tiresome. When I first played the beta, people were cool. It was all fellow hardcore MGS fans like myself, so we all shared our love for the series in common since we pre-ordered the limited edition. Then MGS4 came out, they nerfed the weapons, and as time went on fewer and fewer respectable players came along. I actually wonder how many current players have even played the main game or others in the series. It just seems like they heard about “an uber sweet bro” game on PS3 called Metal Gear where “you like, shoot up bad guys dude.”

I’m harsh, I know I know. It feels great when you have a nice, even game with people. It DOES happen, just not as much as it did in the original MGO or earlier on in this game’s lifetime. This game has some creative modes that are very attractive, such as Team Sneaking and Sneaking Mission. My personal favorite is probably Base. I’m the guy meticulously setting traps, waiting for the number to flash so I can set it off and save the base from half across the map! I love Metal Gear Online, I just can’t stand all the rude kids and the crippling of game modes. Team Sneak’s goal is for the invisible team to capture the duck/frog and bring it back to the base. That’s the goal – it’s not TDM, so this “no rushing” fad is irritating, and only exists so people can level up by getting kills. I understand not going straight to the duck/frog as soon as the round starts, but after a little while…it’s your own teams fault if you can’t guard the damn things, right?

This was one of the harder VV’s to do so far. Why? Because I captured 4 hours of footage. 4 hours of an online game, without organization in regards to game modes, with no story to keep track of time, and with lots and lots of death. It’s easier to do something like Silent Hill since it’s a fairly short game, and if you know the game as well as I do, you look at one scene and know exactly how far along you are. It’s easy to organize footage.

I dunno. It’s definitely a mixed bag, MGO is. The bare bones versions IS free though, so if you have a copy of MGS4 and you want to stick to the new user rooms for awhile (watch out for alts – they’re crawling all over the place), I say give it a try. It’s a unique experience. If you want a fair game with an average player, hit me up – Delta Zero.

(read up on the S3 rating method used on this site right here).

Porcupine Tree are an English progressive rock band whose roots can be traced back all the way to 1987. Within their two decades of existence, they’ve produced 10 full length studio albums alongside countless other releases, including compilation and live albums.

Porcupine Tree have been touring in support of their 10th studio album The Incident,  since last year. I attended their concert at The Vic Theater in September of 2009. A review of that particular show was published the day this website opened. Click here to view it.

Right across from Borders in uptown Chicago, lies an old jazz theater called The Riviera. Inside are gorgeous balconies quite similar to The Vic (also under the umbrella of Jam Productions). It’s going through some renovations right now to fix up the run down decor and ventilation.  The theater itself can hold about 2,500 people in a full house.

We had the luxury of watching the line through the windows of Borders, to get a rough estimate on how long we should wait to get a good spot. The weather was mild with a chance of thunderstorms later in the evening, which made for a somewhat comfortable 2-hour wait before the doors opened. I was even able to sit down on the concrete, borrow some wi-fi and post live pictures outside of the venue on my Facebook! Oh, the marvels of modern technology…

As the line moved in, I noticed a sign on the door of The Riviera. It stated that Porcupine Tree were filming, and that our likenesses may be used in the recording. There were 6 or 7 HD-cameras located throughout the theater’s balconies. There weren’t any on-rails or pointed at the fans (that I could tell). Steven Wilson, Porcupine Tree’s multi-instrumental frontman/singer, said they wanted to get their new album captured on film. He wasn’t even sure what it would be used for exactly but said that they were coming full circle with concert films; their 2005 show was filmed in Park West, their 2008 show was filmed in The Netherlands, and now this one perhaps? I guess we’ll see.

Before the show, I darted to the merchandise stand and picked up this:

(click to enlarge)

The artwork on the shirt is based on the upcoming Blu-Ray, Anesthetize. It has the 2010 North American tour dates on the back.

Opening for the band was a skilled quartet called Bigelf. They represented a whimsical, carnival-eque side of psychedelic/classic prog-rock. Think Queen meets Sabbath meets early Floyd meets an evil clown. A song played that stuck out was called “Blackball”. It  had an unforgettable chunky guitar riff and classic rock grooves, with mellotron and keyboards. Sitting next to their lead singer (in a top hat!) for the whole show was a Yoda trinket, from Star Wars. He picked it up and faked out giving it to someone in the audience. All in all, Bigelf are a bizarre group that play some fun music. I think the main thing that hurt their set was that the volume was set to a ridiculously too high level. Hearing their studio music makes them sound tame to the blaring audio we were subjected to at The Riv. Here is a music video for their song, “Money, It’s Pure Evil”.

Next up was what we all came to see: Porcupine Tree! The stage crew lifted up the sheets, exposing Gavin’s drumset and Richard’s keyboards. The crowd erupted once the pre-show music came on -a loop of the electronic music, from the end of “The Blind House”. Being as how this tour is the 2nd leg of a tour supporting their album The Incident, they’re still playing the entire 55-minute piece as one whole set. These shows are going to be the last time they play it as one cohesive piece. So as such, the first half of the set was a predictable series of songs. This time though, I think people were much more familiar with the album. When I saw them in September, the album dropped a week prior (for those who held off listening to the leaks).

The show begins with a multimedia slide show depicting images of automobile accidents, veiled victims and general disarray. They opened with a tremendous ovation to the dimly lit “Occam’s Razor”, an unstable instrumental that serves as the lead-in to The Incident. From here on out, there was very little banter, which aided in presenting The Incident was one long song cycle. This album is in my opinion, their best work since 2000′s Lightbulb Sun, which received a high spot in Living Vicariously’s top albums of the decade. The concept of  sudden life-changing occurrences is one of shared empathy, and the sporadic dehumanization of tragedies in the media is mundane. This an album anyone can relate to, especially in a time of economic uncertainty.

It was a strong performance, overall. There was an accidental line swap in the title track, “The Incident”, though. The lyrics go, “When a f*ck is not enough you know you’ve slipped.” Instead, Steven said “When the church is not enough…” which is part of a line that follows.  The only reason this is mentioned is because they were filming the show, so I hope this doesn’t jeopardize the recording.  I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to play guitar, sing and remember all the lyrics perfect, all while knowing you’re being filmed for a possible commercial release.

Visuals play a compelling role at Porcupine Tree concerts. For “Time Flies”, the equally emotional music video is played behind the band, enhancing the experience. All the nostalgic throwbacks to Pink Floyd’s 1977 classic Animals is enough to make anyone reminiscence on days long past. The wailing guitar solo in the middle always evokes a huge reaction from the crowd. It’s a highlight to see them perform this song in its entirety. Things get heavy with “Octane Twisted”, showcasing Porcupine Tree’s less delicate side. Some members of the crowd got a bit rowdy during this song but luckily had no choice but to cool down with the acoustic “The Seance”…at least, until the instrumental metal song “Circle of Manias”. The erratic, wild mood swings on The Incident would make a catty teenage girl seem rational by comparison.

After the last song on The Incident, the band took 10-minute break.

Chicago got a bit of a surprise to open the second half of the show. The familiar bass line of the classic “Hatesong” sent the crowd into a frenzy. Just by watching the Arriving Somewhere… DVD, you can live vicariously through the energy generated by the live performance. Actually being there, though? It doesn’t compare. I can ironically say that “Hatesong” was the most loved song of the night. The chorus line of “yes I’m hearing voices, too” was infectious throughout the Riviera Theater.

Another track played off of 2000′s Lightbulb Sun was “Russia on Ice”. This was a repeat from their show at The Vic, with only the 1st half played.  Steven addressed the audience and said they were about to play the oldest song we’d hear that night. He gave a bit of back story on how the song was released as a single in Europe, and how it wasn’t even on the original issue of The Sky Moves Sideways. Finally, after three concerts, Porcupine Tree brought “Stars Die” to the windy city! It was surreal to hear the powerful climax of the song live and in person. I have now heard songs from every studio album except their first two. Maybe one day we’ll get “The Nostalgia Factory” and “The Joke’s on You”.  And hell, while I’m at it, maybe one day I’ll win the lottery.

It seems that at every Porcupine Tree show, I learn to appreciate a song that I either never thought much of (“.3″ at The Vic) or simply never heard before (“Drown With Me” at Park West). This show was no exception. On The Incident, there’s a track on disc 2 called “Bonnie the Cat”. For lack of a better way to describe it, it’s strange. The band was engulfed in green for the duration of this song, with lighting effects fitting the mood like a glove. Steven creepily mutters each lyric one syllable at a time, and at one point in the song it gets nearly dead quiet while doing this. It made for a moment to remember. Unforeseeably, this was one of the best performances of the night. Now it’s understood why they play “Bonnie the Cat” so much this tour.

With that comes the conclusion of the 2nd set. But as per concert etiquette, there has to be an encore, right? The band left the stage and returned only when there were enough cheers. Steven said that they had been ignoring a particular album that’s quite popular with the fans. That album was In Absentia.

“Blackest Eyes” got a tremendous reaction. The visuals for this song were memorable, as well. Edged around the stage were flashing red lights, that blinked on and off in unison with the crashing guitars. Immediately following “Blackest Eyes” was a double dose of In Absentia - Porcupine Tree’s most well-known song, “Trains”. As much as they play it, there’s nothing that compares to the reaction that particular song gets simply by mention alone.

In a quite humorous stunt, “Trains” derailed to a screeching halt during the quiet portion of the song. Gavin Harrison took it upon himself to perform a magic trick.

And after that – we’re still mid-song mind you – Steven decided to introduce the band.

He made a joke about their touring guitarist, John Wesley, coming “all the way” from the United States to perform. Steven then thanked Chicago and stated that they would come back “sometime.” Definitely not as welcoming as “next Spring” like the last show, but the band members all have various solo projects to work on during Porcupine Tree’s downtime, so alas, this is it for awhile. They played the ending of “Trains” and took their bow; the show has come to an end.

Outside the venue, we were greeted with a thunderstorm. Lightning and thunder followed the never ending rainfall, providing relief from the sticky heat inside The Riviera. This made meeting the band outside the gig a definite no, which saddened me since this will be the last time they play Chicago for a few years. The ringing in my ears lasted for several uncomfortable days, and I caught a nasty cold that as of this text I’m still enduring, but was it worth it? Of course! I’ve seen several concerts in my lifetime, including an unforgettable Tool show in 2006 with my buddy ATMC, but this one may have been the best. The Incident rocked, the second setlist had a couple surprises and being only a few rows away from the band made it a good experience. Hope to one day see this show on DVD/Blu-Ray!  See you guys in a few years.

And now for the goodies. Here is the complete setlist:

And here is a little compilation video:

]]> http://living-vicariously.net/?feed=rss2&p=1160 1 http://living-vicariously.net/?p=1138 http://living-vicariously.net/?p=1138#comments Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:39:12 +0000 delta zero http://living-vicariously.net/?p=1138

(click to enlarge all images)

Character: The Undertaker
Brand: Mattel
Year: 2010
Series: Pay-Per-View #2: Survivor Series

The Undertaker has seen several Mattel figures in the past 4 months. Coming later this year will be an Elite based on Wrestlemania 26 and a Ministry of Darkness Comic-Con exclusive. There are many different Takers to choose from, so what makes PPV#2 special?

This figure is in the Pay-Per-View line. The PPV series isn’t much different than the regular Basic-style figures. The price is the same, the figures have the same articulation, but there’s a few things of note that makes this particular series special.

For one, this is the only line to date that has different display stands. The Elites and the Basics share the exact same style.  The PPV series has the PPV name insert opposed to the generic standard version. The packaging is also labeled in this fashion. It’s a subtle difference, with the PPV logo on the bottom and blue trim on the sides (the upcoming Royal Rumble set has gray), but it’s enough to stand out.

The best feature about the PPV line is that it’s prioritized ahead of the others. As of this writing, Mattel are up to early Summer of 2009 with attires/characters in the Basic/Elite series. When The Undertaker came back after a long haitus post-WM25, he sported new designs on his gear. He had a different design for a short while and eventually started wearing the red winged logos seen above. This figure is the only Undertaker thus far that is up-to-date with what he currently wears. Survivor Series was 4 months before this figure saw official release, to give you an idea of how recent it is.

The head mold is painted much better than most of the other Undertaker figures. One of the main problems Mattel has here in the infancy of the WWE line is that they haven’t gotten the hang of painting heads yet. Shawn Michaels and Triple H are both sporting bright orange hair on their figures (and that’s why there hasn’t been a Figure 4 review of them yet!). It’s nice to see such a strong resemblence to The Deadman.

Here is a comparison of the Mattel Undertaker vs the Jakks Undertaker. This Jakks figure is from the original Hell in the Cell playset from 2007. It has a RA11 head, as the HITC set had a bizarre scan with Taker’s tongue hanging out. For its time, it was pretty good. Jakks made better modern Takers later on, but this is the only one I own. Notice the MMA-style gloves; nice touch. Usually Jakks’ RA figures are taller than Mattel’s Basic/Elite. This figure is very tall, and is scaled appropriately (more on that later).

The glaring difference between the two are the tattoos. Simply put, Jakks doodled on his arms with the slightest resemblence to the man’s ink as possible. Mattel actually recreated a large percentage of them. Even the scribe w/ feather is detailed and in color!

The castle on his left bicep is quite visible. You can even lift up his one elbow pad (+1 for accuracy on that too) to expose more tats!

Mattel went as far as to wrap the tattoos around his arms like in real life. Jakks’ kid-doodles didn’t even do that!

They actually go “under” his singlet straps! He is also sporting the neck tattoos.

Undertaker hits his trademark Tombstone Piledriver on his brother, Kane.

Here’s an idea as to how it is scaled with other Mattel figures. Seeing a Shelton Benjamin figure be shorter than The Undertaker is long overdue. He and Kane are massively sized and are quite heavy compared to the “Chris Jerichos” of the Mattel universe. Proper scaling makes everything look so much more authentic.

As said, there have been many Undertaker figures thus far. The Elite has a very impressive removable trench coat. Basic Series #3 has nice looking, albeit dated logos. Any way you go with The Dead Man is a good one with Mattel. I believe, though, that PPV#2 might be the best 2004-Deadman Undertaker ever produced by any manufacturer. PPV #2 is available now for $9.99.

Perfection.

(read up on the S3 rating method used on this site right here).